Congressman Alan Grayson introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to eliminate tuition at public colleges and universities, as well as restructure the way students pay for education and student loans, according to a press release.

“After graduation, thousands of young men and women hit the job market burdened with tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt,” Congressman Grayson said in the release. “This bill provides qualified students with the means to get a high-quality education at a state school, as well as make it easier for graduates of private universities to pay off their debts.”

The proposed bill is similar to one that Senator Bernie Sanders introduced to the senate last year.

Congressman Grayson said the amount of money owed by students and graduates — aproximately $1.2 trillion — is stopping graduates from doing things like buying homes, starting businesses and in some cases, moving out of their parents' houses.

"It stops them from fully participating in our economy, which hurts all of us," Grayson said. "We have the means, and the need, to provide tuition-free education to our students. It’s time we did so.”